Patient's question:
I had a gynecological examination and was diagnosed with candidal vulvovaginitis. However, I don't usually experience itching, and my vaginal discharge is also minimal. I clean my external genitalia daily, but after having sex with my husband, I feel abdominal discomfort. Is there any solution?Doctor's answer:
Hello: Common medications for candidal vulvovaginitis include nystatin suppositories, one suppository (10,000 units) inserted deep into the vagina each night, with a 10-day course of treatment. Additionally, you may take Nistatin tablets orally for one week. After completing the course, it is necessary to return to the hospital for a follow-up to determine if further medication is required. While maintaining good hygiene for the external genitalia, your partner should clean the penis before sexual activity.Treatment for candidal vulvovaginitis can be approached with either purely Western medicine or a combination of Western and traditional Chinese medicine.
(1) General treatment: Actively treat other conditions that may cause candidal vulvovaginitis and eliminate predisposing factors. Maintain clean and dry external genitalia, avoiding scratching. Abstain from sexual activity during treatment. Avoid spicy and irritating foods.
(2) Adjusting vaginal pH: The optimal pH for Candida growth is 5.5. Therefore, using alkaline solutions to rinse the external genitalia and vagina can alter the vaginal pH, inhibiting the growth and reproduction of Candida. You may use a 2%–4% baking soda solution to rinse the vagina once or twice daily, with a 2-week course of treatment. After rinsing, dry the external genitalia to maintain dryness and inhibit the growth of Candida.
(3) Vaginal medication: Using imidazole-class suppositories for vaginal medication is highly effective for candidal vulvovaginitis. Clotrimazole suppositories, one suppository per night, are inserted into the vagina after rinsing, with a 10–14-day course of treatment; or Daktarin suppositories, one suppository per night, are applied to the vagina after rinsing, with a 7-day course of treatment.
(4) Topical cream: Applying clotrimazole cream or Daktarin cream externally can treat vulvitis caused by Candida infection.